Ban on public gatherings justified: Rana

January 17, 2006
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As opposition political parties and rights groups have condemned the government’s ban on peaceful meetings in the capital, member of Raj Parishad standing committee, Satchit SJB Rana, has said that ban on public gatherings in Kathmandu are justified from security point of view and that it would not have any adverse effect on the forthcoming municipal elections.

Raj Parishad standing committee member Satchit SJB Rana (File photo)

Raj Parishad standing committee member Satchit SJB Rana (File photo)
In an interaction programme organised by Sanchar Samuha Nepal on Tuesday in the capital, Rana – who is also the former chief of the Royal Nepalese Army– claimed that curfew in major cities would rein in the Maoists’ attack arrangements which are mostly carried out during night time. He further added that the cause of deepening insurgency in the country was due to elected government’s failure to grant permission to the king for army operations in 1998. However, he denied that state’s motive was to look for a military solution of Maoists problem. The on-going operation of security forces is meant at exerting put pressure on the insurgents to come to the table of negotiation before they become too powerful.

He said that army should only be sent to the field when state of emergency is declared and insurgents are termed terrorists.

Rana admitted that the multi party democratic system had been curtailed at present and that only elections, where big parties should necessarily participate, will bring the democratic processes back on track.

General Secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist), Chandra Prakash Mainali, said insurgency had reached to the climax thanks to the state’s failure to seek political solution to the issues raised by the rebels.